Africa #4: Should there be a United States of Africa?
KEY QUESTIONS:

  1. How do geographers apply knowledge, skills and perspectives of geography to interpret the past and present and plan for the future? (CS, GEO 6.0)

UNIT QUESTIONS

  1. How have the forces of cooperation and conflict among people influenced the division and control of Africa?
  2. Since the period of European contact and colonization, Africans have faced many challenges. How have these challenges affected the lives of Africa people? What challenges will the future bring?

ESSENTIAL CONTENT/CONCEPTS
I. Effect of European colonization
A. Berlin Conference
B. European attempt to westernize traditional cultural groups: time standard, currency standard, European governments, technology, road building, education, missionaries.
II. Independence movements of the 1950-1960's
A. Ghana (1957)
B. Pan-Africanism: giving Africa back to the Africans
C. Independence movement continues through the 1950's and 1960's; functions as a domino effect
D. Colonial borders between countries still exist, which continues to foster inter-ethnic group conflict
III. Challenges that come with independence
A. Building new governments
1. Military rule
2. One party rule
3. Move toward one-party systems in the 1980's
B. Economic Challenges
1. Developing agriculture
2. Economic independence -- diversify exports, reduce imports
3. Standard of Living
C. Tribalism vs. National Unity
D. Population Explosion and Problems with Urbanization
1. Traditional, large extended families for farming
2. Half of the people in Africa are under 15 years old
3. Migration to the cities
a. Changes in family life in nuclear families, marriage
b. Pollution
c. Global Marketplace
E. Public Health Problems
1. Famine, drought
2. AIDS
3. Poverty
IV. South Africa as a Case Study
A. European Colonization
B. Struggle for Independence
C. Apartheid
D. Resistance to Apartheid
E. Steps toward change; abolition of Apartheid
F. Issues facing South Africa Today

STUDENT OUTCOMES
  • Students will be able to apply knowledge, skills and perspectives of geography to interpret the past.
  • Students will be able to apply knowledge, skills and perspectives of geography to interpret the present.
  • Students will be able to apply knowledge, skills and perspectives of geography to plan for the future.
  • Students will be able to identify the forces of cooperation and conflict that divide Africa.
  • Students will be able to identify the consequences of European colonization of Africa.
Web Sites for this Unit
Africa #1: Physical Features, Resources & Population Distribution
Africa #2: Human & Environment Interaction
Africa #3: African Kingdoms, European Exploration and Colonization, and the Slave Trade
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